Handbag



July 28, 1953 H. MEYERS 2,646,833

HANDBAG 7 Filed Dec. 20, 194*? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR flngMey /J ATTOEQIEYS July 28, .1953

H.MEYERS HANDBAG 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 20, 1947 INVENTOR Hmzy/Ileyens' BY 140% ,1 ATTORNEYS Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HANDBAG Henry Meyers, Norwalk, Conn. Application December 20, 1947, Serial No. 792,877 2 Claims. (01. 150-34) It is .among the objects of this invention to provide a ladies handbag that is neat, compact,

light in weight and simple and inexpensive to manufacture, that provides ample room in a minimum of space for articles normally carried during use of such handbag, yet will not bulge or become deformed, and that affords convenient access to the interior thereof and t the articles contained therein and retains such articles so that they may conveniently be removed from the bag.

, According to the invention these objects are accomplished by the arrangement and combinatio'nof elements hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

In ,the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is, a perspective view of the handbag in closedposition, with parts broken away,

Fig. 2,is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the handbag in open position, Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 taken from a different angle,

' Fig. 4" is a sectional view on a larger scale taken along 1in'e'44' of Fig. 1,

Terably are formed'from a substantially rectangular sheet l4 of greater length than width which may be leather, suede, plastic, fabric or like material commonly 'used for ladies handbags.

j 'The ends of the sheet l4 are bent inwardly at right angles thereto to form the top portions [5 and. l6 of the respective containers. Each of the sides [3 of the containers is formed from a substantially rectangular strip l1 affixed at one end as by stitching to each of the lateral edges respectively of top portions I5 and It as at l8 and 'to the adjacent edge of sheet [4' as at H]. The portion of sheet l4 adjacent the lower end 'of each of the rectangular strips I1 is then bent so as to be parallel to such lower end and is thereupon 'aflixed thereto as by stitching as at "2| to form the bottoms 22 of the container sections It and I2.

The outer shell thus formed of two box-like container elements, is turned inside out after being stitched as above described to conceal such stitching and make the exterior of the outer shell smooth and uninterrupted, thereby presenting a neat and pleasing appearance.

In order to stiffen the substantially flexible outer shell, a substantially rectangular cardboard stiffening backing 24 is provided which is positioned in the outer shell so as to lie against the top portions i5 and I6, inner faces 25 and 26 and base 23 thereof. This is clearly shown in Fig. 4. The backing is afiixed to the top portions l5 and Is as at 28 by stapling to retain it in position and is creased transversely thereacross at its mid point as at 29 to permit free opening and closing of the bag, and also as at 39 and 30 to define the inner edge of the bottoms 22 of the containers H and I2, respectively.

An inner shell is provided,preferably of strong paper 3| having a facing 32 preferably of cloth aifixed on one wall thereof, preferably by'gluing.

The inner shell is similar in structure to the outer shell and formed in a similar manner, comprising as it does a substantially rectangular sheet 33 of greater length than width, the ends of which are bent inwardly at right angles thereto to form the top portions 34 and 35 of the inner shell, and sides 40, each formed from a substantially rectangular strip 36 aflixed at one end as by stitching to each of the lateral edges respectively of top portions 34 and 35 as at 31, and to the adjacent edge of the rectangular sheet 33 as at 38. The portion of sheet 33 adjacent the lower ends of each of the rectangular strips 36 is then bent so as to be parallel to such lower end and is thereupon afiixed thereto as by stitching as at 4| to form the bottoms 39 of the inner shell container elements H and I2.

A pair of webs 42, preferably of cloth are provided affixed respectively to the aligned lateral edges 21 of each of the inner shell container elements. The webs 42 preferably have a substantially arcuate upper edge *43 and are of such width as to permit adequate opening of the handbag.

Aftixed to the inner faces 25 and 26', respectively, of the container elements II and 12 of the inner shell is a pocket 44' comprising a substantially rectangular strip 44 of cloth connected at its bottom edge 45 and its lateral edges 45 as by stitching to the bottom and lateral edges, respectively, of faces 25' and 26' of the inner shell.

Strip 44 is gathered in folds 41 along the length thereof to permit expansion of the pocket 44? in 3 order that it may be filled and an elastic band 48 is provided, secured at each end to the respective lateral edges of faces 25' and 28' and concealed in a hem 49 at the top of the pocket is.

An important feature of the present invention is the hinged center panel which has affixed to the opposite faces thereof a number of more or less specialized compartments, all of which are readily accessible.

The center panel 58 includes a cardboard stiffening member 5| having facings 52, 5': on the walls thereof which extend downwardly beyond the lower edge 5! of stiffening member 51. Facing 52 is reversely bent at approximately the center of panel 55, to form a shallow pocket 5:! and then reversely bent again a at 55.

In order to stiffen the pocket 54, a cardboard stiffening member 55 is provided, encompassed by the reversely bent portion of the facing 52 and extending downward to the lower edge iii of stiffening member 5|.

The upper edges of the facings 52 and 5? are affixed to the upper edge of the stiffening memher 5| as at 58, preferably by stitching, and the flexible lower ends 59 and 6B of the facings 52 and 5'! extendin beyond the lower edge 5! of stiffening member 5! have a rectangular cardboard stiifening strip 55 inserted therebetween.

The facings 52 and 5? and the cardboard strip 6! are then stitched as at 62 to the bottom 39 of the inner shell of container element l2 so that the edge .53 of strip 6| will be on the middle line. of the base of the inner shell.

A number of pockets are provided on each side of the center panel 59 for retaining those numerous articles generally carried by the femal u e to w ich ready access is d sir d.

Illustratively two pockets 5 and 65 are provided, formed from a strip of cloth 6% bent over a stiffening member 61, preferably of cardboard and stitched to the sid of center panel 59 adjacent facing 51 as at thereby forming adiace t des 8 nd 69 of p ckets :34 and 55. respectively. The lat ral g of the strip 53 ar bent inwardly toward the center panel to form sides H and 12 of pockets 54 and 85, respectively, and the sides 7! and 72 each have a flange '33 at right angles thereto, secured to the panel by stitching, The bottoms of the pockets are formed by bending the lower edge of strip 86 inwardly toward the panel and then downwardly to form a flange hi which is then stitched to the center panel.

In order to prevent the strip 66 and the stiffenin member iii therein from nchi p at the lower ends of pockets 64 and 55 adjacent sides 63 and 55 thereof when the bottom of the pocket are formed, a substantially rectangular notch 15 is provided in said strip 65 and stiifchi e mem er 6 In order to permit expansion of the pockets 6.4 and 6,5, the sides 68, II and 69, 12 thereof have an accordion pleat therein as at 75. Thus pocket 64 which preferably is larger than pocket 85 can readily accommodate a pack of cigarettes and the pocket 65, a pack of matches.

The other side of center panel 53 also has a plurality of pockets therein. In addition to shallow pocket 54 which is suitable for a small comb,

there is a larger pocket fl having accordion pleats 18 at the sides thereof to permit expan- 1 f the po k t wh n a handkerchief, mirror and other articles are placed therein.

s pock t which is form d fro a Strip of cloth folded to form a double ply, is affixed by 9! and 92 of the frame.

stitching as at 79 near the lower edge 5! of center panel 50. Substantially the entire top edge 80 of the front wall 8| of pocket 11 is slit and a zipper closure 83 is provided to afford a convenient and readily accessible change purse 83'.

It is to be noted that the upper edge of center panel 5| extends beyond the upper edge of pockets TI and 83 and acts as a handle to be grasped when said zipper closure is operated In order to stiffen pocket 83, stiffening members 84 are afiixed to each of the inner walls thereof, preferably by gluing, and stiffening members 85 are provided in each of the accordion pleated sides of the pocket 11, creased as at 86 to permit ready collapse of such sides.

A pocket 81 similar in construction to the pockets on the inner faces of the container elements is also provided, affixed to the front wall 8| of pocket 83.

The center panel 59, together with the pockets thereon, form a unitary member held together by stitching 10 near the bottom of panel 50 extending transversely thereacross and by stitching H at the sides of the center panel.

The inner shell is slightly smaller in size than the outer shell and when assembled as above described, it is inserted in the outer shell so asto lie snugly therein.

A substantially U-shaped bag frame 88, preferably of metal, is afiixed to the exposed top edges of the nested container sections [I and I2 and clamps the inner and outer shells rigidly together between the faces 89 and 90 and sides The frames 88 are hingedly connected, as at 93, at the ends of the legs 94 and 95 thereof, and have a suitable catch 78 at the top thereof to keep the bag closed.

The bag when opened provides free access to the interior thereof, the webs 42 preventing the loss of any article that accidently falls out of th place provided therefor.

The center panel, by virtue of the fact that there is a small can 96 between stiffener BI and stiffener at of the center panel 50 will pivot free.- 1y Without undue wear or strain and may be flipped over easily to either containersection, as desired, thus providing convenient access to the articles on either side. of the center panel or in either of the container sections II or 12. The user, when requiring any particular item, does not have to search through a jumble of articles at the bottom of the bag but may readily locate the article she desires as it is accessible and retained in place,

The depth of the container sections is such that when the usual articles carried daily by the female user are p sitioned in the pockets on panel as and on the inner walls of the container section, the bag may be closed without bulging the sides thereof, thereby resulting in a handbag that is both neat and pleasing in appearance and useful and efiicient in operation.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely difierent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as. illustrative and nctina limiting sense. r

Having thus de crib d my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of'the United States is:

1. A handbag comprising two container sed- 5 tions swinging apart and together, a web connecting the respective aligned lateral edges of said container sections and extending upwardly from the lower edges thereof, and a rectangular center panel comprising a stiffening member having a facing on each wall thereof extending beyond the lower edge thereof, a plurality of pockets on said center panel, a, stiffening strip between the extending ends of said facings, with the adjacent longitudinal edges of said stiifening member and said stiifening strip being slightly spaced from each other, said extending ends and said stiffening strip being affixed to the base of one of said container sections to form a hinge with the edge of said stiffening strip aligned with the mid point of the base of said handbag.

2. A handbag comprising two container sections swinging apart and together, a rectangular center panel comprising a stiffening member having a facing on each Wall thereof extending beyond the lower edge thereof, a plurality of pockets on said center panel, a stiffening strip between the extending ends of said facings, with the adjacent longitudinal edges of said stiffening memher and said stiffening strip being slightly spaced 25 6 from each other, said extending ends and said stiffening strip being aflixed to the base of one of said container sections to form a hinge with the edge of said stififening strip aligned with the mid point of the base of said handbag.

HENRY MEYERS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,473,972 Prahar Nov. 13, 1923 1,520,932 C'omstock Dec. 30, 1924 1,666,652 Hiering Apr. 17, 1928 1,841,971 Morris Jan. 19, 1932 2,020,906 Rolfs Nov. 12, 1935 2,022,162 Speik et al Nov. 26, 1935 2,029,686 Wehner Feb. 4, 1936 2,039,205 Anderl Apr. 28, 1936 2,103,281 Stanley 1 Dec. 28, 193

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 459,626 Great Britain Jan. 12, 1937 827,086 France Jan. 18, 1938 

